Superbooth 23: Neuzeit Instruments explores customizable polyphonic additive synthesis in its new WARP oscillator module.
Superbooth 23 was already 4 months ago. I thought it was just yesterday. The German developer Neuzeit Instruments presented its powerful new synth voice WARP. A polyphonic additive/wavetable oscillator module packed with tons of features.
The development of WARP is now entering its final phase, and sound designers (Panic Girl, Anatol Locker, Sacha Ketterlin…) have been building sounds for it over the last few weeks and months. Yes, it also has presets. And Tom, the developer, has now published a one-hour sound demo where you can hear the module in detail for the first time.
The sounds you hear in the demo are awesome. Very detail rich, complex, and unique. This is, however, just a teaser of what the module can actually do. It is a complete engine that is actually a synth with the power you know from additive synth plugins.
Warp is not available yet, but it will come soon. Neuzeit has shipped the first batch to the retailers and you can pre-order it for $699,99/699€.
Available for pre-order at my partner
Perfect Circuit__________________________________________________________________
Article From May 8th, 2023
Continue with young developers companies that stand for innovation. Two years ago, the German company Neuzeit Instruments from Munich presented the Quasar, a 3D audio mixing module allowing you to experience 3D mixing in Eurorack. Then in 2022 the release.
This year at Superbooth 23, Tom von Neuzeit will show the Warp, a polyphonic additive oscillator.
Neuzeit Instruments WARP
Neuzeit (Modern) modules always look like fresh from a cosmic journey. The black and gold design, which is reminiscent of Make Noise, is largely responsible for these feelings. Also, the new module Warp also looks like it’s fresh from Star Trek. Also, its ideas are more futuristic than retro.
Warp is a new 24HP 4-voice polyphonic additive oscillator module. The developer says: “it uses a novel hybrid engine that combines the best of additive and wavetable synthesis”
According to the developer, it offers a built-in editor allowing you to customize the sources like on a canvas into the colorful XY sound palette. The engine has deep function, allowing you to customize the sound sources. This goes from importing and analyzing your own audio files up to drawing your own frequency spectra exactly what you would expect from an additive oscillator.
Then, you can also manipulate the sources with spectral and time domain-based effects, giving even deeper ways to create new sounds. Moreover, it offers an internal modulation matrix.
We see a big module with a wide interface with many knobs. There is also a display, a microSD slot, and some CV sockets. A gorgeous-looking module.
According to the developer, there will be an expander module giving you MIDI and 4 CV & gate sockets. So, for the real polyphonic fun, you need the expander.
Feature List
- 4 Voices à 2 oscillators using a hybrid additive-wavetable synth engine
- Big knobs act as macro controls for underlying parameters and enable expressive Hands-On playability
- Polyphonic with expander, monophonic as standalone unit
- Usable as a full synth voice or as an oscillator module
- Additive synthesis with 512 sine waves per oscillator = 4096 sine waves in total
- XY sound space as a collection of 32×16 frequency spectra
- Each voice travels independently across the XY space and uses the underlying spectra to synthesize a wavetable in real-time
- Spectral FX are applied on the spectrum before a wavetable is generated
- Wavetable FX are applied once the wavetable is generated, e.g. Wavefolder, PWM-Bend, Redux, Overdrive
- Two Post-Filters per voice: 12/24dB Lowpass and Highpass with resonance control
- Independent oscillator settings per voice, e.g. volume, pitch, stereo pan, detune, sync, X/Y position
- Integrated modulation by 2x ADSR, 2x LFO with many waveforms
- Modulation matrix view to see everything that is going on at once
- Integrated editor for playful drawing of own frequency spectra
- Algorithms for musically meaningful drawing of harmonics
- Generation of frequency spectra from audio grains of audio files on the SD card
- Import and export of wavetables as audio files from or for other synthesizers
- Saving and recalling presets
- Stereo out, 24 bit audio out, 32 bit internally
- V/Oct and VCA inputs operate in audio range for AM/FM modulation
First Impression
The module looks impressive. The concept and the design makes you want to explore it right away. I’m looking forward to the first sounds of it.
Neuzeit Instruments will be at Superbooth 23 and you can visit Tom at the booth W477.
More information here Neuzeit Instruments
I think you mean Instruō with the black and gold, Make Noise’s aesthetic is more of a garbled mess of random symbols.
tbf, they both produce eyesore front panels.
I’m a fan of portable all in one type modular synths( Cep A,OXI Coral) so I’ll be watching for this one.
…but that’s what I like! As you can see with my brain-sore comments.